When you can give students time to deeply discuss a text, you may be surprised by the connections and conclusions they make on their own. This is the purpose of “Hexagonal Learning.” You can read more about the origins and many uses of Hexagonal Learning in a blog post I wrote 4 years ago on the … Read more
Larry Ferlazzo recently published a post on his blog about a site called Word Sift. I decided to try it out with a text that I am reading to my 5th grade students, hoping to give it more meaning. We just finished reading The Giver together, and Lois Lowry’s Newbery Acceptance speech for the honor received by … Read more
If you teach middle or high school literature classes, you really need to check out LitCharts. This tool can really help your students analyze a text with a multitude of interactive infographics that can enrich their understanding of a novel in a unique way. I came across LitCharts while I was looking for different way for … Read more
One of my fabulous colleagues, Suzanne Horan, shared the Litograph website earlier this week, and I’ve been trying to narrow down my wish list ever since! (My birthday is coming up so – Perfect. Timing.) The Litograph website sells t-shirts, posters, and totes that are based on famous literary works. If you look at them … Read more
I had a completely different post planned for today. But then I was hip-hopping around the internet, visiting my usual suspects, when I came across this post on It’s Okay to Be Smart. Joe Hanson rocks. He always has intriguing entries on his Tumblr, and this one is no exception. Call Me Ishmael is a … Read more
If you visit my Pinterest Board of Books for Gifted Students, you will see The Giver, by Lois Lowry, is prominently featured. I read this dystopian novel along with my 5th grade Gifted and Talented students every year, and those of you who know me are aware that I don’t often do the same thing more than … Read more